As another season comes to a close I can’t help but think of how far six-man football has come since the first games were played in 1936. In 1936 only four schools played the game in Texas, Sylvester, Hobbs, Dowell and McCaulley, all in Fisher County. Now, counting private schools, over 200 play six-man football in Texas.

The game has not only became officially sanctioned by the UIL, which only took two years to happen, but now state champions are crowned in two divisions on the same field the Dallas Cowboys play on alongside all other classifications.

While researching those first teams that played back in 1936 I ran across this article Sylvester’s head coach Shelby Jobes wrote for The Sweetwater Reporter newspaper after the season had ended. His team had won all six of their six-man games and Jobes wanted to express just how great the sport was to the schools involved who, outside of Sylvester, would not have fielded a football team at all. Jobes’ words, written 81 years ago, in many ways still ring true today. I transcribed the article in its entirety here for us to look back on the games humble beginnings amongst the cotton fields of Fisher County.

Six-Man Football is Boon to the Small High SchoolBy: Shelby Jobes Coach, Sylvester High

Six-Man Football is Here to Stay.The football problem of the small high school is solved. Experiments with the game in this area this season show that the game is sound. If properly coached and organized should spread rapidly next year among the small high schools of West Texas.

While six-man football retains blocking and tackling, the game is considerably “opened up” by the rules, which permits all players to receive passes except the snapper back. The rules further requires at least one backward pass on all running plays.Has All The Thrills The six-man variety has all the thrills of regular football; end runs, line bucks, center smashes, reverse and spinner plays, forward and lateral passes.

The crowds show their approval at the completion of a forward pass, or the execution of a good tackle, or a perfect block as they do in regular football. In fact, all the fundamentals of football are utilized in the abbreviated game.

One distinctive feature of the game is that the quarterback must pass the ball at least two yards back of the line of scrimmage before it can be advanced, thus making the play more open.

Need Good Equipment Six-man football should not be played in inferior equipment. The players must be fully and properly protected; provided with the best equipment the schools can afford. The game is less expensive because it does not require suits and equipment for so many boys.

Here at Sylvester High school, we have equipped 15 boys, giving us two good teams with three reserves.

Along with our regular practice we spend an hour each day on “touch” football. This gives the boys good practice in passing, receiving passes, handling the ball, breaking up passes and open field running.

Many schools have given up regular football as an organized sport with scheduled games. It is usually not because the boys do not like the regulation game-with its blocking and tackling, but that the schools cannot offer the game as it should be played.